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Let never the man a-wooing ride |
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E'er forget things three |
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A routh of gold, a heart of love |
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Full of charity |
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For it happened to King Henry |
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As a-hunting he did ride |
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Ta'en his hawk his good greyhound |
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Running loud down by his side |
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He's chased the roe deer him before |
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He's chased the buck all down to his den |
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And the fattest deer in all the flock |
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Young King Henry he has slain |
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King Henry he ate of the venison |
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The dogs ate of the blood |
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They lay down they fell asleep |
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Asleep as they were dead |
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It fell about the midnight hour |
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The hour when all men lay asleep |
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Such chill winds blew around the house |
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The very trees they did weep |
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Great shakings shook the house about |
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Shakings split the door |
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The foulest woman that e'er there was |
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Came a-stamping on the floor |
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Her head hit the roof of the hunting lodge |
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Her waist her waist you could hardly span |
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If a fouler woman lived |
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She was not known to God or man |
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Oh meat meat ye king an't be |
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Meat give thou to me |
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What meat's there i' the house lady |
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That you're not welcome to |
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So she has ta'en his good brown steed |
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And oh but oh his heart was sore |
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She's ate it up both skin and bone |
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Left nothing but hide and hair |
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Oh more meat ye king an't be |
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More meat give thou to me |
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What meat's there i' the house lady |
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That you're not welcome to |
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So she has ta'en his gay goshawk |
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And oh but oh his heart was sore |
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She's ate it up all skin and bone |
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Left nothing but feathers bare |
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Oh more meat ye king an't be |
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More meat give thou me |
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What meat's there i' the house lady |
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That you're not welcome to |
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So she has ta'en his good greyhound |
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And oh but oh his heart was sore |
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She's ate it up both skin and bone |
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Left nothing but hide and hair |
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Oh drink drink ye king an't be |
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Drink give thou to me |
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What drink's there i' the house lady |
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That you're not welcome to |
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So he's sewn up his horse's hide |
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And wine and good wine he has put in |
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She drank it up she drank it down |
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There was no drop left in |
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A bed a bed ye king an't be |
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A bed for you and me |
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I do vow and I do swear |
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Tonight to lie down with thee |
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Oh take your boots off O King Henry |
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And let all your clothes fall |
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For you and I will in one bed lie |
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And I'll lie next to the wall |
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The night was gone the day was come |
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The sun shone through the hall |
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The fairest woman that e'er there was |
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Lay twixt him and the wall |
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Oh what is this cries young King Henry |
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How long will this last with me |
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And there up spoke the fair young lady |
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Even till the day you dead be |
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For I've met many's the gentleman |
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Who gave to me all my fill |
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Ne'er met I such a gentleman |
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Who gave to me all my will |
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For I've met many's the gentleman, sir |
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Who gave to me all my fill |
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Ne'er met I such a gentleman |
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Who gave to me all my will |
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"Now King Henry, you courteous knight, |
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Your horse's hide you'll bring." |
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And o'er it she has raised her hand |
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And lively he did spring. |
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"And likewise bring your hounds their skins |
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And your hawks their feathers bare." |
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And soon the hounds they leapt about |
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And the hawks flew in the air. |
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Then Henry he has mounted up, |
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Put his lady on before. |
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And straightway to the church they rode |
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To keep the oath he swore. |
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And they rode on into the town |
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From out the wild woods green. |
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And the people clammered all around |
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To see their strange new queen. |
